Throughout my pregnancy, whenever friends, family members, or strangers asked if I was going to breastfeed, I always chimed, “I’m going to try my best!” I prided myself on approaching the matter rationally, understanding that there was another person—my unborn daughter, whom I hadn’t even met yet—who factored into the equation.

Even once you’re without-a-shred-of-doubt visibly pregnant, you can’t expect strangers to give up their seat for you so readily because the world is populated by some very conveniently clueless individuals who will happily ignore you rather than sacrifice their own comfort.